JANUARY 2021 (6)

Both Lesley's have sent me emails and images, the first to arrive was from Lesley M, she says, "I'm attaching two paintings for the blog. The first is a line and wash I did very quickly before Christmas, in fact I finished it on Christmas Eve, as a Christmas card for Rae. The second is a Quince that I've done from a Billy tutorial. It's taken me quite a long time as I started it, didn't like it, decided to start again but then decided to buy a new lap top so that I wasn't trying to remember from study to conservatory and that I wouldn't be permanently disturbing Rae.

This then entailed tidying the study, doing the desk drawers, sorting out the filing cabinet getting ethernet cables installed and waiting for my new lap top to arrive. You know the sort of thing, I think it's called displacement activity! Anyway I eventually got round to painting it. Billy's has a background but I wasn't brave enough to try that. I might have a go on my first attempt just to prove I could do it - or maybe to prove I was wise not to attempt it! I'll let you know."

19

20

I know exactly what you mean about finding other things to do, I think we all suffer from that  and thank you for these super watercolours Lesley, I really like the lock gate line and wash composition, I bet Rae was pleased with the card, and I love the quince just as it is, it is beautiful work.

The second email is from Lesley C  (obviously), and she says, "just looked at the latest blog, I think Larry puts us to shame with the amount of work he does! Must try harder!! Anyway, I found that photo of the elephants that Larry's painting inspired me to do, it's pastel, (only a quick one) not a great painting as I am finding it hard to get enthusiastic about anything at the moment but one has to keep trying."

21

I hope that you are not loosing your mojo Lesley because I love your pastels, and I particularly like the use of the different colours (blues, pinks, lilacs, yellows, creams) in these elephants, it makes for a very lively subject and a great painting.